AROUND NIL THIS WEEK | JUNE 16, 2025
- Golf NIL
- Jun 16
- 2 min read
Updated: 2 days ago
June 16, 2025—Michigan is making a bold play for athlete freedom and shutting out the NCAA on NIL oversight. The state's new House Bill 4643, introduced by Rep. Joe Tate and co-sponsors, would block universities and athletic organizations from reporting NIL deals to the NCAA or a national clearinghouse and ban them from assisting in investigations or penalizing athletes for non-compliance. The bill directly challenges the House v. NCAA settlement, which requires schools to report deals over $600 to the NIL Go clearinghouse and sets up a new enforcement agency for oversight.
Michigan’s legislation is designed to maximize athlete freedom by ensuring no entity can restrict compensation or participation in NIL opportunities. If passed, Michigan schools would be caught between state law and NCAA rules, risking compliance with conference or federal mandates. The bill also aims to make Michigan more appealing to recruits by offering fewer restrictions on NIL earnings.
Michigan State's Brooke Biermann at the 2025 U.S. Women's Open—as Michigan pushes to maximize NIL freedom for athletes | Kathryn Riley/USGA
June 16, 2025—Four more women—three lacrosse players and one tennis player—have appealed the House v. NCAA settlement, joining the ongoing legal challenge over Title IX concerns. Their separate appeal adds to the original appeal filed on June 11 by eight female athletes, who formally objected to the federal district judge’s approval of the settlement. Both appeals claim the settlement’s back-pay formula gives male football and basketball players an unfair edge, shortchanging female athletes on equitable compensation. The latest appeal doubles down on those objections as the legal fight continues.
June 16, 2025—South Carolina has taken a firm stand against high school NIL deals. In early June 2025, the South Carolina High School League (SCHSL) amended its bylaws to ban student-athletes from profiting off their name, image, and likeness. This follows a new state budget clause barring public school districts from affiliating with any athletic association that allows NIL compensation. The amendment reinforces amateurism, with penalties including warnings for first offenses and year-long suspensions for repeat violations.
State Senator Sean Bennett, who authored the budget clause, says the goal is to protect the amateur nature of high school sports and keep commercial influences out. While most states now allow high school NIL, South Carolina remains a rare holdout. Critics warn the ban could face legal challenges, arguing it unfairly restricts minors’ rights. For now, the state is holding the line.
